Best Bet for a newbie spatcher

ddegger · March 2013

Hi all - been lurking while saving up for the LBGE plus table and accessories (toys!). Finally pulled the trigger and delivery is expected this weekend. I want to start off with a slam dunk (family's a tad skeptical about my $$$ grill) and I'm convinced after reading your great pots that spatchcock is the way to go. I've seen lots of different cooking suggestions and I'm looking for some advice about the direct vs indirect issue - sounds like both will work but curious if one way is riskier or more successful than the other? Dont want to screw up the first cook. Thanks for any thoughts....

BYS1981 · March 2013

google naked whiz spatchcock chicken. He sums it up perfectly.

Mickey · March 2013

If you have a way to raise the grate (bolts, fire bricks ) adjustable rig do it. Then cook 400 direct. If you have time leave the bird uncovered in the fridge overnight ( no big deal if no time). Add rub or just S&P, it's all good. Skin side up and never turn ( this is the other reason to cook high in the dome as you are closer to the dome). This is about an hour cook but please cook to temp and not time breast @ 160 and thigh @ 180. Also very same cook for spatchcocked turkey, just a little longer.

Solson005 · March 2013

First off welcome and Spatchcock is a great cook to do first and show how good chicken tastes off the egg.

I am a big fan of Raised Direct for spatchcock 375-400° it takes about a hour but cook to temp as mickey said and not time. A good instant read thermometer is the best eggcessory you can get. Most of us use Thermapens and they are one of the best on the market and well worth the money, you can see the green one in my picture below. As @BYS1981 said I like the Naked Whiz Method I also like to leave my chicken in the fridge overnight like @Mickey said but most of the time decide to cook it the day of and it still turns out great the skin just isn't as crunchy.

Raised direct can be made on your own with Bolts or I use fire bricks split in half to raise it on my large.

Use your favorite rub and if you want to do a bbq flavor get some cherry wood chips and sprinkle a small handful on top of your lump. it gives the chicken a really great color.

Skiddymarker · March 2013

I'll add a twist to @Solson005, I like raised direct as well, but if I want a no brainer cook, and no one wants charred skin (SWMBO and me) indirect at 400-425 is also an easy foolproof cook. Left overnight in the fridge, then touched with rub and cornstarch (or latest discovery - Wondra) gives a crisp but not charred skin. Indirect is easy and you will never have that acrid flavour some get from a really fatty bird dripping on the coals.

Good luck and welcome.

GrannyX4 · March 2013

Becarefull of how much wood you use. In the egg a little goes a long way. Raised, direct, 400 until breast is 160. Enjoy! ;;)

henapple · March 2013

I like indirect. A little safer imho. I also usually cook veggies along with the bird.

Cut the veggies at least one and a half inches thick. Squash, zucchini, eggplant,..... I use whole baby bella mushrooms. Rub with evo, s&p then place in aluminum pan. Pour enough chicken broth in the pan to keep the veggies from burning.

gdenby · March 2013

GrannyX4 said:

Becarefull of how much wood you use. In the egg a little goes a long way. Raised, direct, 400 until breast is 160. Enjoy! ;;)

Hi, ddegger. GrannyX4 raises a good point. Also, lots of new Eggers put the food on a little too early. You say you have been lurking awhile, so I suppose you may have run into the "let the bad smoke clear" threads. That issue is also covered at the Naked Whiz's site.

It is very hard to ruin a spatch'd chicken. It works so well, that almost every whole chicken I do is now done that way.

I think you family will be convinced pretty quickly that the Egg was a worthwhile purchase. My first cooks were pretty good, but within 6 mo.s, my family was eating tastier food than they had ever had.

lousubcap · March 2013

If you go indirect-create an air gap between your heat deflector (plate setter, pizza stone, fire bricks , after-marekt setup whatever) and drip pan by using a few 1/2 inch thick nuts or balled up foil or anything to get the pan elevated. Keeps the drippings from burning off during the cook.

One other thing-wait til the smoke from the BGE smells good (usually around 20- 25 mins or so after the fire is lit) before putting anything on to cook. Smoke smells good-it's good to go. Welcome and enjoy-

Solson005 · March 2013

Another thing to remember when your first joining this forum, there are many ways of cooking everything and will all get you great results. Please don't get discouraged with all the answers, this is just simple chicken and you can see how many different ways it can be done. Pizza is a whole other ballgame and after one post I got a little down with comments saying "it would be better if I changed … " I was just over thinking it and know love the wealth of knowledge this forum brings even more so. Remember you are cooking for you and your guests and they are the ones eating so cook the way you like and it will be some of the best food you have made outside.

Everyone means well and just about every method will turn out great results, just pick one that sounds good and run with it.

I did my first spatchcock raised direct and it turned out so well I have never done it indirect. I'm sure it would be great, but I am happy with my results and don't feel a need to change this particular cook.

As mentioned above less is more when it comes to using wood on turkey or chicken. But a small handful of chips won't ruin a chicken and turns the skin a great color. We did a 21 pound turkey for thanksgiving with no wood and just salt and pepper for the rub so the people wouldn't be offended without the "traditional turkey" Just about every person that came over said we could add smoke, seasoning, whatever we wanted next year as long as we made it on the egg.

Naked Whiz FAQs is another great resource along with this forum.

You can always light up your grill and play with the settings to figure out temperature controls well before you cook and then you will have no issues with bad smoke or anything like that. It will use very little lump and takes the stress out of learning while there is food in the egg.

CANMAN1976 · March 2013

QUICK QUESTION ON AIR DRYING THE CHICKEN IN THE FRIDGE, DO YOU APPLY OIL WITH YOUR RUB THE NEXT DAY OR DOES THAT DEFEAT THE PURPOSE OF AIR DRYING????

ALSO IF YOU BRINE DONT FORGET TO RINSE THE CHICKEN OFF WELL WITH WATER AS I HAVE FORGOTTEN IN THE PAST AND THE CHICKEN WAS VERY SALTY:(

ddegger · March 2013

Awesome! Exactly why I finally joined and posted my question - great, insightful answers! Now...if I could just get my dealer to hurry up and deliver!

Thanks all - look forward to more great advice!

Skiddymarker · March 2013

Not sure, but IMHO the air dry removes moisture from the skin so there is less water to evaporate before the crisping process can begin, oiling it will not restore the moisture. The combination of oil and rub will do the crisping. If the surface looks too dry, a little spritz with oil will help it along.

JRWhitee · March 2013

I did my first spatchcock a few weeks ago. I cooked direct with a raised grid at 400 with a handful of pecan chips. SWMBO does not like a lot of smoke flavor said it was some of the best chicken ever. The cook took 1 hour with the thighs at 180 and breast at 160. Also, if your Egg doesn't arrive feel free to bring your party and food to my house and I will do the cooking!

Mickey · March 2013

CANMAN1976 said:

QUICK QUESTION ON AIR DRYING THE CHICKEN IN THE FRIDGE, DO YOU APPLY OIL WITH YOUR RUB THE NEXT DAY OR DOES THAT DEFEAT THE PURPOSE OF AIR DRYING????

ALSO IF YOU BRINE DONT FORGET TO RINSE THE CHICKEN OFF WELL WITH WATER AS I HAVE FORGOTTEN IN THE PAST AND THE CHICKEN WAS VERY SA

After airdrying overnight i have done it both ways. Just rub next day and very little oil and rub. I could not tell a differance.

SmokinDAWG82 · March 2013

I like indirect 375 - 400 and I personally don't add wood to chicken, you get a good amount of flavor from just the lump. Its a matter of what you like so you may have to try a few of these and find what suits you

Wylecyot · March 2013

I'm a lurker as well, and have been cooking on my BGE since late summer. One of my first cooks was a Spatchcock chicken following the Naked Wiz site mentioned above. The family loved it!

One thing I learned...let the butcher do the work for you! I buy my chickens from one of the local grocery stores. I took the bird to the meat counter, and the gladly removed the backbone for me. This makes an easy cook that much easier!

tjv · March 2013

Couple key points for me on spatch chicken.

I always buy a Grade A bird, so I get a bird with a full skin, no tears or missing skin. I need the full skin as I like to put seasonings/rub under the skin and directly on the meat. It's easy to do by starting at the breast's thick end and working two fingers down past the thigh to the leg. I dump a lot of rub, 2 or so Tablespoons and slowly work it around.

I try to find a bird on the lesser side of 5+ pounds. It's hard to do these days at the typical grocery store. I check the label to see how much solution has been added. It's usually 8-12 percent depending on the bird processor.

I grill them on a raised grid, grid temp around 400ish. I start the bird skin side down to get the skin rendering. After 5-10 minutes, depending on how the skin is going, I flip it over and let it grill. I use the adjustable rig with extender, and set the slide guide at the upper notches, so if I need to take the cook indirect, all I have to do is slide in the stone.

I grill them longer and to a higher internal temp, usually 75 or more minutes and internal temp around 170 to 175. I do this to insure the red fleshy stuff around the bones is cooked out - least that is the goal.

I'll tent the chicken with foil and let it sit, similar to a steak. By doing this, more times than not, I'll loose the crispiness of the skin.

The wings never see a plate, I eat them when cutting up the bird.......

t

Best Bet for a newbie spatcher

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